What's New!

Not Quite Big Boy!

This is another creation at the Noah Purifoy Desert Museum of Assemblage Art. I guess this is Noah's version of a railroad and train--not quite like all the photos shown the last few days of the Union Pacific's Big Boy. Some of the other structures and assemblages can be seen in the background. I am not sure how much I will be able to post or comment in the next week, as I will be tied up and in and out of town with a visiting birder. I will participate when possible. 11/11/19 Judith Sparhawk

The Serpentine Shadow

The major stop on the photo field trip last week was the Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Art. I had heard of this place but had never been there. I will likely be showing several shots from there over the next few days. Noah Purifoy was an African American artist originally from Alabama, but who practiced his art for years in Los Angeles. When he was 60 he moved to the Mojave Desert, near Joshua Tree National Park, and over the next 23 years, until the time of his death in 2004, constructed all manner of large installations and assemblages over a 10 acre area. The area has been maintained, and although some of the fabric and other materials are showing wear over time, there are a lot of interesting things to see and shoot. This one was one of my favorites, made of metal plates, forming a serpentine shape. I especially liked the views showing the shadow. 11/10/19 Judith Sparhawk

It's a Sign!

On a photo field trip on Thursday, I saw this sign pole at a cactus nursery and garden shop in the little town of Morongo Valley, California. I'm not so sure about all the mileage--I think Niagara Falls is really supposed to be 2,496 miles--but I thought it a fun sign. To find this in a little town of under 3,500 population seemed a little ironic, but maybe if you live there you want to shoot for the moon and the stars! 11/9/19 Judith Sparhawk

The Shop Cat

I went on a field trip today to several spots in the Coachella Valley. We stopped at a garden shop and cactus nursery. I saw this cat chewing on the wheat seed heads and seemingly guarding the pomegranates. I thought they all looked very pretty together. 11/8/19 Judith Sparhawk

Olive Avenue Market Truck

The Day of the Dead Festival last weekend was held at the Olive Avenue Market in Redlands, CA. This business started out as a little corner store in a residential area in 1924, back when corner stores existed. It now is a friendly place to stop for coffee or a sandwich or a pastry--kind of a neighborhood gathering place. This red pickup truck was parked on the street by the "market"--according to the license plate, I believe it is a '51 Chevy. I'd never seen it before, but its sign indicates it belongs to the market. I thought it was a nice addition to the day's festivities. 11/7/19 Judith Sparhawk

After the Face Paint

This is the young lady I photographed at the Day of the Dead festival last weekend. When she first arrived at the event she was in costume; she wandered to a face-painting booth and waited in line. Some of the shots I got of her were while she waited. This was after she got her face painted. I used a completely different filter and coloring for a different look. I prefer the other, I think, but it was fun experimenting. 11/6/19 Judith Sparhawk

Lady in Lace

When I was at the Day of the Dead festival on Sunday, I noticed this young lady in costume. She had arrived with a couple of friends, and they wandered among the booths near the performances. I really liked her look, so I took several shots of her, and later worked on a few of them. This was one of my favorites. I must admit all this happened in the early afternoon, so I played around with the colors to give the effect of a much darker time of day. I liked her black lace and the flowers in her hair. 11/5/19 Judith Sparhawk

The Dancers

Today I went to a local festival for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This group of Aztec dancers were part of the entertainment. Unfortunately I got there just after they finished their performance, so I didn't get any dance shot. They were posing for some photos, so I jumped in and took a few shots. It is the first time I've seen an all-woman Aztec dance troupe. I must admit that posed group shots are my least favorite type of people pics, so I was disappointed to have missed the dancing. 11/4/19 Judith Sparhawk

Field Sparrow

My last sparrow is this Field Sparrow. It is a small sparrow with a distinct white eye ring, a rufous crown and a bright pink bill. This bird's field marks may not be as distinctive as the last few I have posted, but it is always special to me. I can't see it locally. but have seen them in Texas and in Michigan. They have a very sweet look to me. This one was photographed in central Texas. I know that sparrows have a reputation for all looking alike, but I hope that seeing some of the details that Wayne and I have shown in the last week or so, will let you see that there are amazing differences from one to another. AND, yes, there are some species that are very plain and difficult to differentiate. However, at least for "bird people" it is very satisfying to learn the differences and get familiar with these wonderful creatures. 11/3/19 Judith Sparhawk

Lark Sparrow

For the sparrow series, here is another example of one that goes beyond the LBJ or LBB description. The Lark Sparrow is a large sparrow with colorful markings on its face and white side feathers in the tail. It is most commonly seen feeding in grassy areas, often in flocks. This is a species that I can see locally, although this one happened to be photographed in central Texas. One reason I got better shots of these and other sparrows in Texas, are the great blinds which some of the parks provide, with seed to attract birds, and the ability to get close up views. 11/2/19 Judith Sparhawk

Black-throated Sparrow Duo

Adding to the sparrow series, here is a duo of Black-throated Sparrows. Actually it is the same bird, two views. For those of you who believe that all sparrows look alike, this is a good example of one that doesn't! It is a very handsome bird of southwestern deserts. It is easy to see where it got its name. It often perches on the tops of bushes and sings a very musical song. This particular bird was photographed in central Texas. I had thought I'd only be showing species that Wayne might not have, and I have more often seen this one in Arizona and California's deserts, but no, this particular one was from a few years ago in Texas. 11/1/19 Judith Sparhawk

Raven in the Graveyard

I'm pretty sure I showed this last year for Halloween, but thought I'd post it again, as it seems appropriate for the day. It is based on Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery in Redlands, CA. It was established in 1886 by local pioneers Edward Judson and Frank Brown. It has been owned and operated by the City of Redlands since 1918. It is located in the southwestern area of the city, on scenic rolling hills. I used a textured filter to give it a more eerie look. 10/31/19 Judith Sparhawk

Just For Fun

Getting ready for Halloween, here is the skeleton of a mermaid--something I had not even thought of before, but was at the last Renaissance Faire. Not a great photo, but, as I said, it's just for fun! 10/30/19 Judith Sparhawk

Through the Keyhole

I've been playing with the idea of looking through a keyhole to see what is on the other side of the door--today I decided to create this image. Not sure it exactly says what I was thinking, but it is a start. There may be more to follow... 10/29/19 Judith Sparhawk

Bell's Sparrow

Back to the sparrow series, this is a Bell's Sparrow. It used to be called the Sage Sparrow, but in the last few years that species was split, with the Bells occurring in southern California to southwest Nevada and Arizona. The Sagebrush Sparrow occurs farther inland, in a much larger range. This sparrow sings from the top of bushes, as shown here, and otherwise is seen running on the ground with its tail cocked. This one was photographed at the Salt Creek area of Salton Sea, California. It has a beautiful song of variable musical notes. 10/28/19 Judith Sparhawk

For Pink Sunday

In order to help make Sunday Smugmug blaze with pink, I am posting several pink images in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness, but particularly in honor of Tina who has been fighting the good fight for a very long time. This is one of those images . 10/27/19 Judith Sparhawk

Hisbiscus in Pink

One of my pink images for BCAM & this Sunday in particular, a pink Hibiscus. In honor of all those whose lives have been affected by this disease. 10/27/19 Judith Sparhawk

Rose in the Rain

A beautiful pink rose, open and touched by raindrops. Pink for this special Sunday. 10/27/19 Judith Sparhawk

Azalea Pink

For pink Sunday on Smugmug. 10/27/19 Judith Sparhawk

Golden-crowned Sparrow

I thought I'd add a sparrow or two to add to Wayne's sparrow series. The Golden-crowned doesn't usually make it to Texas--in fact it winters in California (though its gold is much paler in winter plumage), migrates up through Oregon and Washington, and breeds mostly in British Columbia and Alaska. This one was photographed in the Salt Creek area on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. I saw and hear them singing on breeding grounds in Alaska as well--very different from the wintering birds I would more likely see in California. As frustrating as identifying sparrows can be, this one is a slam dunk! 10/26/19

What Time Is It??

This is a piece of public art in Redlands, where I live, The Sister Cities Clock Tower. It was installed a few months ago in Ed Hale Park in downtown. The three clocks reflect the local times in Redlands' three sister cities, Hino in Japan; San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, and Linli in China. Below the clocks is a kinetic sculptural element that releases steel balls at the top of the hour, which spiral their way down to the bottom. The clock tower acts as the southwest entry into the park. 10/25/19 Judith Sparhawk

Harp Hands

This image shows a person playing the harp at the Renaissance Faire, with dancers looking on. It is for my Hands Across the World gallery. 10/24/19 Judith Sparhawk

The Rest of the Story

Yesterday I posted my preferred view of this Trinity Episcopal Church in Bay City, Michigan. Loyd asked to see the rest of the church. This is the best I had of the rest. It was very large and had been added to over the years, so there was no real view of it all. The original church was built in 1887, with some additions up to 1924. It was quite an imposing structure with many architectural details. 10/23/19 Judith Sparhawk

The Church Tower

The Trinity Episcopal Church on Center Avenue in Bay City, Michigan is a very large and complex structure. My favorite view of it was the very ornate tower, framed by trees. For those of you who wished me well with my big art show, thank you--it went very well, Friday night, all day Saturday and all day Sunday. Sales were brisk, and although it is a tremendous amount of work setting up and breaking down my booth, it was very worth it again this year! 10/22/19 Judith Sparhawk

In The Weeds

Hiking in San Timoteo Canyon the other day, almost everything was dry after a long hot summer, going to seed or just dried out. One of the weeds I noticed was this one, with a delicate feel to it. I processed it to give it a posterized look, including the trees and bit of sky in the background. 10/19/19 Judith Sparhawk

Boreal Chickadee

Just to add another chickadee to Wayne's postings of "little birds", here is a Boreal Chickadee, a year round resident of much of Canada and Alaska. Rather than the more typical black cap seen on most chickadee species, this one has a brown cap, with pinkish brown flanks. I have seen them in Alberta, Canada, although the Black-capped is much more common, and and seen everywhere, it seems. It was very exciting to see my first Boreal, which I had seen in the field guide for years, but had never seen in real life. This one was photographed at Wagner Natural Area west of Edmonton, Alberta. BTW, I'm not sure of my participation here this weekend, as it is my largest show of the year, and I'll be pretty consumed by it. I'll comment and post as possible. 10/18/19 Judith Sparhawk

Fall Is In The Air!

I stopped at a local store this morning, and took a few cell phone shots of the pumpkin display in front of the store. Though most of the shots didn't look like much, I had fun with this one, with the mural behind the pumpkin bins, and one of the several scarecrows. 10/17/19 Judith Sparhawk

Bridled Titmouse

To round out Wayne's titmice postings, this is a Bridled Titmouse. It is a resident in oak, juniper, and sycamore forests at mid-elevations in southeast Arizona and western New Mexico. I think he is my favorite of all the titmouse species, with its cute little crest and facial markings. 10/16/19 Judith Sparhawk

Jimson Weed Flower

One of the plants still blooming in San Timoteo Canyon last week was the Jimson Weed. Some of the flowers were small, but this one was large and lovely, with a tinge of purple on the edges. The Jimson Weed, or Datura, or Thorn Apple, is an invasive weed introduced probably from Central America. Some parts of the plant and the seeds have some medicinal uses, although it is generally considered poisonous. It has some hallucinogenic properties, but is NOT recommended! 10/15/19 Judith Sparhawk

Eucalyptus Abstract

On a recent hike in San Timoteo Canyon the other day, I noticed the trunk of this eucalyptus tree, and zoomed in on it. There are a few eucalyptus groves in the canyon, and although they are not native to the US (from Australia, mostly), they have been a part of the California landscape since the 1850's, and have become a California icon. This one is likely a Blue Gum--I liked the bark patterns on the trunk. 10/14/19 Judith Sparhawk

One Little Ladybug

I went for a hike in San Timoteo Canyon out of Redlands. I hadn't been there all summer, as it is always too hot. With slightly cooler temps, I headed out. Lots of dry plants gone to seed, a few flowers blooming. I ran across this single lady bug crawling around on this plant. He wasn't too cooperative, but I got a couple of shots before he flew away. 10/13/19 Judith Sparhawk

Western Kingbird

This photo is a bit soft, but I wanted to show this flycatcher, as it is one of the most common ones around here in the spring and summer. This one was photographed at San Jacinto Wildlife Area. One of its distinctive field marks is the white outer tail feathers which show well when they are in flight or landing on a perch.

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

For flycatcher week, today's post is of a different group of flycatchers, one of the Empidonax group, which are small and somewhat drab birds. This used to be called Western Fycatcher, but the species was "split" into 2 species, the Pacific-slope and the Cordilleran, the former more western along the coast and inland into western Nevada and Arizona. The field marks of this bird is the wingbars, a large white eye ring that extends behind the back of the eye, and the lover mandible a pinkish-orange. He is smaller than many of the flycatchers we have posted this week, at only 5-1/2 inches in length. 10/11/19 Judith Sparhawk

Thick-billed Kingbird

More flycatchers! This shows two views of a Thick-billed Kingbird. This species has a limited range in the US, mostly in the very southeast corner of Arizona. Many of their markings are similar to other flycatchers, but note the very thick bill for which they are named. A pair of these birds nested in the Portal, Arizona area for several years. I visited there two different years about the time the young birds fledged, but while they were still hanging out and begging for food from their very busy parents. It was pretty noisy in that neighborhood for awhile! These birds fly out from a perch and catch insects in flight in mid-air. With these very thick bills, they can nab some pretty big bugs to eat. 10/10/19 Judith Sparhawk

Gray Kingbird

For the continuing flycatcher week, this Gray Kingbird is the one and only one I have ever seen, from way back in 2012 during a Florida birding trip. He was photographed on one of the Keys, where they are supposedly fairly common. They also occur in mangroves on the Florida mainland coast. This one was spotted in a residential neighborhood, while I was looking at a map, trying to find my way to a botanical garden--pure luck for a life bird, no less! He may not be as fancy as some of the other flycatchers, being mostly gray, with a black mask; he also has a red crown patch, but it is seldom visible. 10/9/19 Judith Sparhawk

Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher

Continuing in Flycatcher week, these are two views of a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher. This is a quite different flycatcher, mostly ocurring in Mexico, but also in the wooded mountain canyons in very southeast Arizona, at between 5000 and 6000 feet of elevation. This bird is boldly streaked, with a yellow breast and rusty red rump and tail. It's loud call sounds just like a squeaky rubber toy, and is quite distinctive--when 2 or 3 of them are excitedly squabbling in the trees, it makes quite a ruckus! These birds were photographed in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona, in Cave Creek Canyon.

Vermillion Flycatcher

This is the week for flycatchers, so here is my first one, a male Vermillion Flycatcher. The female lacks the bright red, is streaked brown and white, with a little pink on the lower breast and under the tail. This species lives year round in Mexico, and occurs in spring and summer in southeast California, south Arizona, New Mexico and southwast Texas. I can reliably see them in Spring, nesting at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve near Joshua Tree National Park.

Think Pink!

I knew I wasn't going to manage a pink posting every day of the month, as Elizabeth plans to do, so I chose today as the "pink" day. At least in Redlands where I live, this is the day for our Believe Walk, a large and well-attended 5K walk as a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness. So, THINK PINK! 19/6/19 Judith Sparhawk

Bloomin' Time

Brown Canyon Ranch is at the base of Ramsey Canyon, Huachuca Mountains, Arizona. Driving on the road into Brown Canyon, I saw this view of the mountains and the tall blooming Yucca plants. The flower stalk on this plant was about 20 feet high. August is a monsoon month in SE Arizona, bringing rains and wildflowers. 10/5/19 Judith Sparhawk

Busy Bee

I went birding up to Forest Falls, the closest and easiest-to-get-to mountain area from home. The leaves were beginning to turn, and there were many clumps of blooming Rabbit Bush. The yellow flowers had attracted several types of insects, but especially these small bumble bees--I probably saw about 50 of them buzzing in the flowers. I believe they are Yellow-faced Bumble Bees, based on the yellow face and single yellow ring on the lower abdomen. It was wonderful seeing so many bees alive and well and so busy feeding that they didn't mind me and my camera. 10/4/19 Judith Sparhawk

Canyon Wren

I believe this is my last wren posting--I think Wayne has a few more. This is a Canyon Wren, a small bird that frequents rocky canyons and cliffs. It is heard more often than seen, with its distinctive song ringing off canyon walls, a silvery, liquid mix of decelerating and descending notes. This one was spotted in Montosa Canyon in Arizona. I'd never seen one in a tree before, and it was hopping in and out of the twigs and branches. I got a quick peek at it between the branches before it hopped out of sight. 10/3/19 Judith Sparhawk

Marsh Wren

In keeping with the subject of wrens, this little Marsh Wren was photographed at San Jacinto Wildlife Area. Not the sharpest photo, but I was very excited to get a clear view of him at all--they are the ultimate skulker, hiding out in the cattails or reeds, only popping up once in awhile. I liked that this one was out in the open, and even has a bit of a reflection. 10/2/19 Judith Sparhawk

Cactus Wren

Well Wayne said he is now showing wrens, and I was thinking I didn't have any to show, but in checking, I do have a few to add to the series. Not wanting to step on Wayne's toes, but here is a Cactus Wren photographed at Joshua Tree National Park. The Cactus Wren occurs in desert areas, and builds its nest deep in very spiny cactus plants, and is thus protected from predators. 10/1/19 Judith Sparhawk

Brown Canyon Ranch

This photograph was taken as I hiked the Brown Canyon Ranch trail in Arizona. This recreation area was once a ranch, dating to about 1800. It is now grasslands with some rolling hills at the base of Ramsey Canyon, in the Huachuca Mountains. The sky, green grass and wildflowers show that this was during the monsoon season with frequent rains. 9/30/19 Judith Sparhawk

Elephant Head at Dawn

On my recent southeast Arizona trip I spent a few days at Madera Canyon. Even in the mountain canyons, August in Arizona gets pretty warm (or hot!), so early mornings are best. This photograph was taken from the base of Madera Canyon, looking toward this rocky formation called Elephant Head. Not sure the origin of the name, but it stands out in the landscape at the beginning of the mountain canyon. The dawn chorus of birdsong was already in full swing as I hiked up the trail into the canyon. 9/29/19 Judith Sparhawk

Canna Lily

This variety of Canna was photographed at San Diego Safari Park. I liked the red striped leaves.

Arizona Sister Duo

This image shows both the top and underside of this Arizona Sister butterfly. It is very much like the California Sister, which has a completely different range. The AZ species a somewhat larger and brighter than the CA one, with slight differences in the underwing pattern. These were photographed in Miller Canyon in southeast Arizona. They were resting on the ground, likely licking the minerals from the earth, a behavior known as "puddling" although there was no water or mud present on this trail. 9/27/19 Judith Sparhawk